Sealing arrangement for a spinning apparatus



Feb. 6, 1968 M. Kuaovi ETAL 3,367,099

SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPINNING APPARATUS Filed Jan. 9, 1967 2 SheetsSheet 1 By an;

Feb. 6, 1968 M. KUBOVY ETAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed JarL 9, 1967 3,367,099 SEALING ARRANGEMENT FOR A SPKNNING APPARATUS Milosiav Kulzovy, Doini Dorhouc and Josef Stary and Erik Jirzisek, Usti nad @rlici, Czechoslovakia, assignors to Vyzkumny Ustav Bavinarslty, Usti nad Urlici, Czechoslovakia Filed Jan. 9, 1%7, Ser. No. 608,120 Claims priority, appiieation Czechoslovakia, Mar. 5, 1%6, 1,488/66 1i] (Ilaims. (Cl. 57-5839) ABSTRACT OF THE DESCLQSURE A labyrinth sealing arrangement between the rotating spinning chamber and the casing surrounding the spinning chamber in a ringless spinning machine.

This invention relates to a sealing arrangement for a spinning apparatus, and more particularly to such an arrangement for preventing, or at least inhibiting, passage of air to the interior of a rotary spinning chamber through passages other than the separated fiber feeding opening or the yarn withdrawing channel.

In the process of spinning yarn in a rotated spinning chamber, the fibers are fed after separation to the socalled collecting surface in the spinning chamber by the vacuum developed in the chamber by the usual air escape openings, the openings expelling air from inside the spinning chamber by centrifugal force. Such expelled air usually enters a confined space surrounding the spinning chamber, whence it passes through a suitable opening to the ambient air.

In order to obtain reliable and even feeding of the separated fibers to the collecting surface of the spinning chamber and to effect rapid suckingin of the yarn end into the underpressure workin space of a spinning chamber, it is necessary to draw air into said working space, if possible, only through the opening through which the loosened separated fibers are fed to the spinning chamber and through the channel for withdrawing yarn from the chamber. The underpressure working space of the spinning chamber must be thus separated from the ambient atmosphere at least sufiiciently to reduce the intake of unwanted air to an acceptable limit and to prevent the reduction of underpressure in the spinning chamber, which would be detrimental to its working cycle.

In the past a spinning chamber has been known which has, on the open side thereof, an annular projection partially engaging an annular recess in the stationary cover of the chamber. This provides a form of packing.

The disadvantages of such packing are its rather limited effect, and the possibility of penetration of the packing by fibers during cleaning of the spinning chamber, which must be opened for this purpose. Penetration of fibers into the packing causes failure of the required clearance there in, and may even interfere with rotation of the spinning chamber and prevents its rotation at high speed.

It is the main object of the present invention to overcome the above-mentioned disadvantages, and to eliminate or greatly reduce the intake of unwanted air passing to the spinning chamber.

Another object is to prevent the clogging of a labyrinth seal by loose fibers during cleaning of the apparatus.

According to the present invention a sealing arrangement is provided in which two coaxial annular projections, an outer and an inner projection, extend substantially axially beyond a continuous annular side wall of the spinning chamber. The outer projection engages a circular groove of the cover of a casing in which the spinning chamber is mounted to form therewith a labyrinth seal States Patent ice which substantially prevents passage of air into the spinning chamber from the space between the casing and the spinning chamber. The inner projection passes with small clearance through a central opening in the top wall of the casing either projecting beyond the outer surface of this wall or terminating at its outer surface. When the spinning chamber is cleaned the inner projection, extending axially beyond the labyrinth which has been referred to, prevents entry of fibers and such into the labyrinth.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an elevation, partly in axial mid-section, of a spinning apparatus embodying the present invention; and

FIG. 2 is a detailed view of the sealing arrangement of the present invention, being a fragmental portion on an enlarged scale of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1.

The spinning chamber 1 which is shown in FIG. 1 is substantially pot-shaped having a bottom which is integral with a shaft 2, having an axial passage 3 extending from the spinning chamber therethrough to constitute the yarn withdrawal passage of the apparatus. Shaft 2 is mounted in bearings 4 in the machine frame 5, which is only fragmentally shown, and is provided adjacent its ends with a pulley 6 by means of which a belt (not shown) rotates the spinning chamber.

The spinning chamber 1 is mounted within a casing 101 into which the spinning chamber expels air through the usual escape openings 7 therein, this expelled air being received in a surrounding space 16 between the spinning chamber and the casing. An opening 30 in a wall of the casing connects the space 16 with the ambient atmosphere.

The casing 101 is provided with a top wall 14, which in the present example has a central opening 141 therein.

The top wall 14 also has on its inner surface an annular groove 13 which is coaxially disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of the spinning chamber.

The spinning chamber 1 has a continuous annular side wall 91 extending substantially axially from the bottom of the chamber to an open end thereof. Inner walls divide the continuous annular side wall of the spinning chamber into two parts, each part being conical and being narrowed from the maximum inner diameter of the spinning chamber to provide the usual collecting face of the chamber. An annular projection 12 extends from the annular side wall Q1 of the spinning chamber 1 into the annular groove 13 of the top wall 14, being spaced from the surface of the groove. Thus a labyrinth seal is provided between the surface of the groove 13 and the top wall 14.

The central opening 141 in cover 14 serves for cleaning the spinning chamber. The central opening 141 is coaxial with the axis of rotation of the spinning chamber 1 and a second annular projection extends from the side wall of the spinning chamber into this central opening adjacent the rim of the opening .141, extending at least as far as the top surface of the top wall 14. Thus when cleaning the spinning chamber the second annular projection 9, extending above the labyrinth formed between the first annular projection and the top wall 14 of the casing 101, protects the labyrinth against deposits of separated fibers therein and maintains it in open condition, preventing the labyrinth from interfering with rotation of the spinning chamber 1.

A movable cover 20 is provided for closing the opening 141 in the top wall 14 of the casing 101 and for closing the open side of the spinning chamber 1. As here shown the movable cover is formed as a tiltable cover which may be tilted by means of a handle 21 about a pivot 22. The movable cover has a circular boss 12% thereon having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of the second annular projection 19, for closing the spinning chamber 1. The boss may therefore enter the space surrounded by the second annular projection 9 when the movable cover closes the opening in the top Wall of the casing 1. v

The movable cover 20 has an annular recess 121 in its inner face surrounding the annular or circular boss 120. It is thus possible for the coaxial annular inner projection 9 to extend above the outer surface of the to; Wall 14 of the casing 101 in order to project still further above the labyrinth and give it greater protection during cleaning of the spinning chamber;

The movable cover 20 is formed with a feeding opening 23 extending therethrough and through the circular boss 120 in order to feed separated fibers 24 into the spinning chamber 1. Furthermore a fiber separating mechanism 25 of known construction may be fixed to the outer surface of the movable cover 20, and such a mechanism is illustrated in FIG. 1.

In operation, rotary motion is given the spinning chamber 1 by rotation of the pulley 6. Rotary motion of the spinning chamber creates a vacuum in the space 15 within the spinning chamber by centrifugal discharge of air through the escape openings 7. This vacuum draws separated fibers 24 into the spinning chamber from the separating mechanism 25, and these separated fibers are transformed into yarn in known manner. The yarn 26 is withdrawnthrough the withdrawal channel 3 by the action of rollers 27 therebeyond and is distributed by a guiding roler 28 about a bobbin 29 upon which the yarn is wound. Through the influence of the vacuum in the spinning chamber air flow from the ambient atmosphere into the chamber takes place through the feeding opening 23 and through the withdrawal channel 3. The resistance to the passage of air created by the outer coaxial annular projection 12 within the circular groove 13 prevents or limits air from flowing from the space 16 between the spinning chamber and the casing 101 into the space 15 within the spinning chamber 1. In consequence thereof the air entering the spinning chamber enters through the feeding opening 23 and through the withdrawal channel 3 almost exclusively, and correct operation of the spinning chamber results.

If in consequence of yarn breakage the spinning chamber 1 is filled with separated fibers 24 and requires cleaning, then the spinning chamber is cleaned by tilting the tiltable cover 20 and removing the undesired fibers. The effect of the elevation of the inner projection 9 above the outer projection 12 is to prevent possible penetration of fibers into the labyrinth. This is an important advantage of the present novel sealing arrangement.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or two or more together, may also find a useful application in other types of spinning apparatus differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in a spinning chamber having a labyrinth seal, it is not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist of the present invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adapt it for various applications without omitting features that, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this invention and, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of the following claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A sealing arrangement for a spinning machine com prising a casing, a spinning chamber mounted in said casing for rotation about an axis of rotation, said casing having a top wall with an annular groove on its inner face coaxially disposed with respect to the axis of rotation of said chamber said chamber having a continuous annular side wall extending substantially axially from the bottom of said chamber to an open end thereof, and an annular projection extending from said side wall of said chamber into the annular groove on said top wall spaced from the surface of the same to form a labyrinth seal therewith.

2. A sealing arrangement as claimed in claim 1, including a second annular projection disposed inwardly of said first-named projection extending from said side wall of said chamber a greater distance axially outwardly than does said first-named projection, whereby possible penetration by separated fibers of the labyrinth seal formed by said first-named projection and the groove in said top is prevented during cleaning of said spinning chamber.

3. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said side wall, said groove in said top wall and said projection are circular.

4. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 2, wherein said top wall has a circular center opening, said secondnamed projection extends above the top surface of said top wall in said center opening adjacent the rim of said center opening.

5. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 1, wherein said top wall has a central opening therein substantially coaxial with the axis of rotation of said chamber, and including a second annular projection extending from said side wall at the open end of said chamber into the central opening in said top wall adjacent the rim of said opening and at least as far as the top surface of said top wall to prevent fibers from entering the labyrinth seal between said first-named projection and the groove in said top wall during cleaning of said chamber.

6. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 5 and including a movable cover for closing the opening in r the top wall of said casing.

7. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 6, wherein the movable cover has an annular recess in its face closing the spinning chamber to permit extension of said second annular projection beyond the top wall of said casing.

8. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 6 including a circular boss on said movable cover having a diameter slightly less than the diameter of said second annular projection, whereby said boss may enter the space surrounded by said second anular projection when said movable cover closes the opening in the top wall of said casing.

9. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 8, wherein a feeding opening extends through said movable cover and said boss for feeding separated fibers to said spinning chamber.

10. A sealing arrangement as defined in claim 9 including a fiber separating mechanism mounted on said movable cover and connected to the feeding opening therein for supplying separated fibers to said spinning chamber.

References Cited JOHN PETRAKES, Primary Examiner. 

